Movable changeable electric sign



June 14, 1938. J, MIATLQW' 2,120,809

MOVABLE CHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN Filed NOV. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 2 a 7 INVENTOR wrmzsszs 7 Jacob matlow ATTORNEYS June 14, 1938. J. MATLOW momma cawemsm ELECTRIC sum Filed Nov. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 V INVENTOR Jae 0b ma Z'Zow WITNESSES BY M (land-W V i ATTORNEYS June 14, 1938. J. MATLOW 2,120,809

MOVABLE CHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Nov. 9. 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Y WITNESSES INVENTOR Jacob Jllaflow ATTORN June 14, 1938. J, MATLOW MOVABLE CHANGEABLE ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Nov. 9, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 1| 5 9 J 9 6 m 7 7 I r Ill w a INVENTOIQ WITNESSES Jacob Ma/flow BY M W v ATTORNEYS Patented June 14, 1938 UNITED STATES rinses PATENT QFFiCE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to signs and particularly to an improved movable changeable electric sign, an object of the invention being to provide a construction which will present a picture or other attractive means adjacent a movable sign structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sign construction having an endless sign belt adapted to be moved uniformly or intermittently in connection with a slide having a picture thereon adapted to be moved into and out of view as the sign belt travels.

A further object is to provide a sign belt and attractive structure associated therewith, to gether with means for producing a sound continuously or intermittently to attract attention to the sign structure.

An additional and more specific object is to provide an electric sign having an endless belt formed with means for removably receiving letters or other sign indicia.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a movable changeable electric sign disclosing an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the structure shown in Figure 1, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a sectional view through Figure 4, approximately on the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view through Figure 3, approximately on the line 4-4;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing part of the belt illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a section through Figure 5 approximately on the line 6-4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional view through Figure 3 on the line '|--'l;

Figure 8 is a diagram showing the Wiring of the various parts of the sign;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view showing an intermediate drive embodying certain features of the invention.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, i indicates a casing or housing of any kind, which may be wood or other suitable material, and in which is housed the various movable parts of the device except the hammer 2 of the sound-producing device or vibrator 3. This hammer 2, as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to strike the window in which the device is placed though it could be made to strike some other particle without departing from the spirit of the invention. It will be understood that this sound producing device is caused to function either continuously or intermittently as may be desired.

The housing I is providedwith a front door 5 which may be hinged or otherwise secured in place and which is formed with a glass panel 6 which at the top and bottom is provided with a coating of paint at diiferent places to make the same opaque, but the glass 6 itself is transparent and, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the portions 1 and 8 are left uncovered so that an object may be seen therethroughv The portions 9 and Ill, however, are covered with paint or other opaque substance. By reason of the fact that the portions 1 and B and also the portion ii are not covered, windows are presented through which the sign l2 of the belt 13 may be seen, and also windows are presented through which the respective figures i l and i5 are visible. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, the figures l4 and I5 represent parts of a man with his hand pointing upwardly, but these figures or members could represent other things without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As hereinafter fully described these pictures or figures are moved into and out of view as the de- 2 vice functions so as to attract the eye of a passerby. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the belt l3 is an endless belt and has one or more signs 12 thereon which are brought to View from time to time as the device functions. If desired, an electrically actuated clock It could be 0 arranged centrally of and above the housing I. A hooded lamp I! is arranged immediately above the clock so as to illuminate the same. While the clock 16 is preferably electrically actuated it 3 may be a spring-actuated clock without departing from the spirit of the invention.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the endless sign belt [.3 is mounted on four rollers, namely, l8, l9, 2!], and 2|. The rollers 2E! and 2! are fixed but freely rotate and, in fact, are driven by an endless sprocket chain 22. Suitable sprocket wheels 23 are rigidly secured to the respective rollers and, therefore, whenever the chain 22 functions all of the rollers will move or rotate in the same direction and at the same speed. The chain 22 passes over a small sprocket wheel 23 near the lower end of the device, said small sprocket wheel being rigidly secured to a stub shaft 25'. An idler 25 is adjustably mounted by reason of a slide 21 and screw 28. This permits an adjustment of the tension of the chain whenever desired.

The rollers 20 and 2! as mentioned are fixed but the rollers l8 and it are vertically adjustable as illustrated more particularly in Figures 3 and 7. From these figures it will be seen that the rollers l8 and I9 are rotatably mounted on bars 29 secured to vertical sliding blocks 39 and 3|. A bar 32 is connected with the housing I by suitable screws or other desirable means. This bar carries a right angle bracket 34 and the bar 29 carries a similar right angle bracket 35. An adjusting screw 36 has a reduced end 91 rotatably mounted in the bracket 35 while it is threaded through the bracket 34 and locked in desired adjusted position by a suitable nut 38. Angle bars 39 and 40 are also pivotally mounted at 4| and 42 on the bar 29. These angle bars are adapted to swing over to the position shown in Figures 3 and 7 so as to prevent longitudinal movement of the rollers I 8 and l9. It will be observed that the pins 43 of the respective rollers I8 and I9 extend into suitable apertures in the bar 29 and can not move to the right, as shown in Figure 3, by reason of the housing I. However, there is provided a socket 44 at the left so as to permit a left-hand sliding movement of the rollers when the angle bars 39 and 40 are moved out of engagement. This is to allow the rollers to be applied or removed.

The lower rollers 20 and 2| are likewise provided with pins 45 extending into bores in the supporting plate 46. At the opposite end respective pins 45' extend into the supporting plate 4'! and may be slid into the bore 48 when it is desired to remove the lower rollers. Each of the lower rollers at one end is provided with angle bars 49 which are identical with the angle bars 39 and 4B and which function in the same way. When it is desired to apply and remove the belt l3, the angle bars are swung to an inoperative position and then the rollers are slid to the left, as shown in Figure 3. This will allow the rollers to be removed if desired and the belt applied or removed and then the rollers remounted.

Referring to the lower part of Figures 2, 3, and 4, it will be seen that the driving shaft 25 has a large gear rigidly secured thereto. This gear is continuously in mesh with a small pinion 59 rigidly secured to the shaft 25. The gear 5| is provided with a number of pins 53 which extend at right angles to the surface of the gear wheel and which preferably are evenly distributed though they could be unevenly distributed. The parts are so proportioned and positioned that as the pins 53 rotate with gear wheel 5| they will successively engage and press downwardly the button 54. This button is an ordinary push button similar to a front door button now in common use, and acts to close the circuit to the buzzer or sound-producing device 3. Current from any supply line of 110 volts en-- ters the device and some of the current is transformed by a transformer 56 so that the current supplied to the buzzer 3 will have the voltage greatly reduced. The current entering the device, however, is supplied at full voltage to the electric motor 55 and this motor is caused to function at a certain speed whereby the power shaft 56 will be rotated as long as the motor 55 is supplied with current. A worm 5'! is rigidly secured to the shaft 56 and continuously meshes with a worm wheel 58. These two members are preferably arranged in a housing 59 which is supplied with oil or grease so that these parts will function in the lubricant. A shaft 69 extends through the housing 59 and is rigidly secured to the worm wheel 58 so as to be rotated thereby. From Figure 3 it will be noted that the outer end of shaft 56 is journaled in the upper end of a bracket 6|, while the lower part of bracket 95 acts as a journal support for the shaft 69. A small bevel gear 62 is rigidly secured to the upper end of shaft 69 and continuously meshes with a larger bevel gear 63 which is rigidly secured to shaft 25. By the construction just described the shaft 25 is rotated at a comparatively slow speed even though the mo tor 55 operates at a comparatively high speed. As the gear 5! is larger than the gear pinion 59, the pinion will operate at a higher speed than shaft 25 though sprocket 24 will operate at the same speed as shaft 25' and, therefore, will continually move the belt l9 when the motor 55 is functioning. However, from Figure 9 it will be seen that a slightly modified construction is used wherein the gear 5i secured to shaft 25 is a mutilated gear and has comparatively few teeth 64 which upon each revolution engage and move the gear wheel 59, thus producing an intermittent movement of the gear wheel 59 and an intermittent movement of the sprocket chain.

Immediately back of the front transparent plate 6 there is provided a slide 65 which is formed with a plate 66, which may be formed of glass, celluloid, or other transparent material and which is preferably translucent but provided with opaque sections 61 and 68. These opaque sections may be an integral part of the glass or may be formed by paint applied to the glass. This leaves clear or translucent sections for the pictures l4 and 15. When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4, the pictures l4 and 55 are in alignment with the transparent sections 1 and 8 of plate 6 so that the pictures may be readily seen especially when the lamp 69 is functioning. This lamp is turned on when the slide 65 moves to the position shown in Figure 4, and is turned off when the slide moves to the left as hereinafter described. It will therefore be seen that whenever the pictures are exposed to view, lamp 69 will function to provide the desired illumination.

Slide 65 is provided with a pair of upstanding pins and H which form, in a certain sense, a bifurcated projection in which a pin 12 slides. This pin is rigidly secured to a lever 13, which lever is pivotally mounted at 14. The upper end of the lever, as shown in Figure 4, is provided with an insulated contact adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with an insulated contact 16. When these contacts are engaged lamp 69 will be supplied with current but when the parts are moved to the dotted position in Figure 4 the lamp 69 will be deprived of current. A pin l! is connected with lever 13 and extends into the cam groove 18 of a cam 19. This cam groove is provided with two dwells 89 and two shifts 8!. The cam 19 is rigidly secured to the shaft 25 and rotates therewith. When the pin 1'! is passing through either of the dwells 89 the slide 55 is stationary. The parts are so positioned that the pin Tl will be passing through a dwell when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4 and will also be passing through a dwell when the parts are moved to the dotted position shown in Figure 4. It will therefore be seen that the lever 13 will be swung rather quickly to one extreme position and will stay in that extreme position for a short time and will then quickly swing to the opposite extreme posi tion and remain in that opposite extreme position for an appreciable time. This action is continued as long as the device is functioning.

Referring more particularly to the belt I3, it is to be understood that the same may be made from silk, cellulose matter, or other material without departing from the spirit of the invention. However, this belt is preferably substantially transparent and is formed of two strips of material l3 and I3" with lines 52 for indicating spaces in which the slides 52' are adapted to be placed when in use. The slides 52' are preferably made of the same kind of material as belt I3 and are adapted to receive the legend plates 52 before the slides are inserted into the belt. The strips l3 and I3" are secured together along one longitudinal edge by a flexible binding member l3'. Usually the plates 52 carry letters or numerals but they could carry other legends and even pictures without departing from the spirit of the invention. Also these plates may be made from the same material as the belt or from some other material and be either opaque or translucent. However, these plates are preferably made from transparent material which is somewhat resilient so that they will readily pass around the various rollers during the functioning of the device. There is provided a continuous illuminated lamp 82 substantially centrally within the travel of the belt l3 so that the letters or other configurations carried by the plate will be illuminated and they will readily be seen during the day or night. Preferably a number of the plates 52 are mounted in a carrier or slide of transparent material and this carrier inserted between the two strips l3 and I3".

In Figure 8 will be seen a diagram showing the various wires used in the device. The wires 33 and 84 are lead-in or supply wires which will be of the usual voltage used in the particular locality where the device is mounted. Usually the supply of voltage is 110 and, consequently, the lamps 69 and 82 are made to receive this current. The clock l6 and lamp I! are also madeto receive this current as well as the motor 55. However, the buzzer 3 is provided with the transformer 56 so that the current used in this device will be greatly reduced, as, for instance, reduced to six volts. The wires and 86 supply current at full voltage to the transformer 56, while the wires 81 and 88 furnish current at reduced voltage to the buzzer 3. The wires 89 and 9!] supply current to the clock i and lamp ll, while wires 9| and 92 supply current to lamp 69 whenever the switch formed by contacts 15 and 16 is closed. The constantly burning lamp 82 is connected with wires 83 and fi l and has a hand-operated switch 93 to open and close this circuit, while the motor 55 is supplied with a switch 94'- to connect and disconnect the motor with the supply wires 83 and 84. When the device is functioning it will be seen that the parts of the device using the current will be continuously supplied with current ex-- cept lamp 6.! which is intermittently supplied with current as the lever '13 swings back and forth.

I claim:

1. In a sign of the character described, a slide having a frame, means on the slide presenting sign members, a bifurcated structure extending from said frame, a pin sliding in said bifurcated structure, a swinging lever for moving said pin, bifurcated structure and said slide back and forth, a cam actuating said lever for causing said slide to dwell after each movement, and means for continually moving said cam when the sign is in operation.

2. In a sign of the character described, a slide having sign members thereon, a bifurcated structure extending from said frame, a lever pivotally mounted near one end, an insulated contact carried by said one end, a stationary contact positioned to be engaged by the first mentioned contact when the lever is in one of its extreme positions, a lamp, a circuit for said lamp including a source of current and said contacts, a pin extending from the other end of said lever to a position within said bifurcated structure, and power actuated cam means for swinging said lever back and forth.

3. In a sign, an endless belt having sign members thereon, a plurality of rollers for supporting and moving said belt, a sprocket wheel secured to each roller, a single chain passing over all of said sprocket wheels, a driving sprocket engaging said chain, a shaft for rotating said driving sprocket, a bevel gear rigidly secured to said shaft, a bevel pinion continually meshing with said bevel gear, a worm wheel rigidly secured to said bevel pinion, a worm continually meshing with said worm wheel, and an electric motor for driving said worm.

4. In a sign, an endless belt carrying sign members, means for moving said belt, said means including an endless sprocket chain, a driving sprocket for causing said chain to function, a shaft for driving said driving sprocket, a pinion rigidly secured to said shaft, a large gear meshing with said pinion, a plurality of pins arranged in a circle and carried by said large gear, an electric switch positioned to be engaged and mechanically closed by said pins as they successively pass said switch, a buzzer, an electric circuit including said buzzer and said switch, and electrically actuated means for rotating said shaft.

5. In a sign, a housing having a window provided with a transparent pane of glass, means for making said pane of glass opaque except for a strip near the top and two spaced areas near the bottom, an endless sign structure near the top of said housing, attention-arresting members near the bottom of said housing, and co-- acting means for causing said endless sign structure to move in back of said strip and said attention-arresting members to intermittently move into and out of said spaced areas.

6. In a sign, a housing having a window, an endless sign structure positioned in said housing in back of said window, a plurality of rollers for supporting and moving said sign structure, hand adjustable means for holding said rollers against longitudinal movement, and means for driving all of said rollers simultaneously.

7. In a sign, a casing having a top window and a bottom window, a movable endless sign-carrying belt arranged opposite said top window, rotatable means for supporting said belt, means including a chain for rotating said rotatable means whereby said belt is adapted to move, a display device, means for moving said display device in line with said bottom window and then to one side of said bottom window, means including a driving shaft for actuating the means for moving said display device and said chain, an electrically actuated noise-maker, and means actuated by said shaft for intermittently closing the circuit of said electrically actuated noise-maker.

8. In a sign, a casing having a top window and a bottom window, a traveling belt having signs thereon positioned in said casing so as to move past said top Window, a sliding sign member, a driving shaft, a cam rotated by said shaft, a swinging lever actuated by said cam, means for connecting the outer end of said lever with said sliding sign, the movement of said lever being such that as it functions it will move said sliding sign in line with said bottom Window and then to one side of the bottom window so as to intermittently bring said sliding sign into view, and means including a plurality of sprocket Wheels and a sprocket chain for moving said traveling belt, one of said sprocket Wheels being geared to said shaft so that the traveling belt will move in timed relation to said sliding sign.

9. In a sign of the character described, an endless belt of substantially transparent flexible material, said belt being formed of inner and outer members, means for securing said members together along one longitudinal edge, means forming spaced guiding lines extending substantially from one longitudinal edge to the other, flexible slides arranged between said inner and outer members positioned between the respective guiding lines, each of said slides having turned-over edges, and flexible legend-carrying plates positioned on said slides With their respective ends extending beneath the respective turned-over edges of the slides.

JACOB MATLOW. 

